Dublin Racing Festival: five key races you don't want to miss at Leopardstown

With just four days to go until the start of the Dublin Racing Festival, a cracking card awaits at Leopardstown.

There are Grade 1 races aplenty as well as many other fascinating duels on the way.

Here, we take a look at some of those battles you will not want to miss this weekend . . .

Spring Juvenile Hurdle (1.35 Saturday)

The key horses: The unbeaten Fil Dor looks to be the class act in the field as one of a potential two entrants for Gordon Elliott.

But it is the Willie Mullins-trained Vauban who heads the market, having been beaten on his only start by Pied Piper, who bolted up in the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Trial at Cheltenham.

Mullins also enters Icare Allen, who won over the course and distance just after Christmas, while Ben Siegel and The Tide Turns arrive in good form in what might turn out to be a closer race than some could expect.

Notable recent winners: Our Conor (2013), Footpad (2016), Sir Erec (2019)

How the market looks

Sky Bet: Evens Vauban, 5-4 Fil Dor, 5 Icare Allen, 8 The Tide Turns, 10 Ben Siegel, 33 Vadaly, 50 bar

Irish Gold Cup (3.15 Saturday)

The key horses: Perhaps it's the simplest to pick out as one you want to watch, but you will want to see the battle between last year's winner Kemboy and Down Royal Champion Chase winner Frodon in the standout race of the weekend.

With Cheltenham Gold Cup star Minella Indo aiming for a return to winning ways having been pulled up at Kempton on Boxing Day in the King George, as well as the up-and-down Asterion Forlonge on the scene, it will be a cracker.

Notable recent winners: Beef Or Salmon (2003, 2006, 2007), Neptune Collonges (2009), Sizing John (2017), Delta Work (2020)

How the market looks

Paddy Power: 5-2 Frodon, Kemboy, 11-4 Minella Indo, 4 Asterion Forlonge, 11 Mount Ida, 14 Delta Work, 16 Janidil, 33 bar

Future Stars Bumper (4.25 Saturday)

The key horses: To round off the first day of action in Dublin, a very competitive-looking bumper in which the field is led by the Mullins-trained Facile Vega.

The main contenders alongside Facile Vega are The Big Doyen and another Mullins-trained horse in Embassy Gardens.

Notable recent winners: Blackbow (2018), Envoi Allen (2019), Appreciate It (2020)

How the market looks

Sky Bet: 4-6 Facile Vega, 9-2 The Big Doyen, 6 Itswhatunitesus, 13-2 Sandor Clegane, 10 Embassy Gardens

Ladbrokes Novice Chase (1.20 Sunday)

The key horses: The deeply impressive Galopin Des Champs is clearly the horse to beat in the 2m5½f novice chase, but away from the six-year-old there is some intrigue.

Galopin Des Champs: will be a strong favourite to maintain his unbeaten record over fencesCredit: Getty Images

Recent Limerick Grade 1 winner Master McShee, trained in a small yard by Paddy Corkery outside Dungarvan, is in the shake-up and returns to the track where he suffered a burst vessel in the Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle last year.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Run Wild Fred – joint-favourite for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham – brings some solid form to the race while the unbeaten Jungle Boogie holds big claims too.

Notable recent winners: Cooldine (2009), Bostons Angel (2011) La Bague Au Roi (2019), Faugheen (2020), Monkfish (2021)

How the market looks

Sky Bet: 2-5 Galopin Des Champs, 5 Jungle Boogie, 6 Fury Road, 13-2 Master McShee, 10 Capodanno

Irish Champion Hurdle (3.00 Sunday)

The key horses: Another fairly obvious shout but with the quality on show, it's one you definitely ought to watch.

Honeysuckle bids for a third straight Champion Hurdle as she locks horns with Appreciate It, who won last season's Supreme, and could give Honeysuckle some of her sternest competition yet.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained star mare will almost certainly go off favourite for a third year on the spin and plenty of backers will be keen on this one not being an acca buster on day two.

Notable recent winners: Hurricane Fly (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Faugheen (2016), Honeysuckle (2020, 2021)

How the market looks

Sky Bet: 4-11 Honeysuckle, 7-2 Appreciate It, 7 Zanahiyr, 12 Saint Roi, 16 Echoes In Rain, 50 Heaven Help Us

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